The Texas Rangers may not be able to move Corey Seager unless he’s willing to make it happen, and that’s where this offseason gets complicated fast.
Seager’s contract is already a heavy lift. He still has five years left on the 10-year, $325 million deal he signed, and he’s due more than $30 million per season over that stretch.
On top of that, the Rangers’ decision not to trade him at the deadline gave him 10-5 rights, meaning he now has 10 years of Major League service and five years with the same team. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, that gives him the power to block any trade.
So if Seager wants to stay in Texas, that’s exactly where he can stay.
That’s why the Rangers need his cooperation before anything else. According to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, who covered the MLB general managers meetings this week in Las Vegas, Seager is open to the idea of a trade, though only for the right fit. That leaves president of baseball operations Chris Young with the job of finding a deal that works for everyone.
Scott Boras said this week that Seager’s decision is his alone. Speaking during a press conference with reporters, Boras said he has little role in those conversations.
“Those are things that a general manager discusses with a player,” Boras said “Those decisions are personal to them. Our job is to make sure the player is ready to play, ready to perform, and do what he does.”
Even if Seager is open to moving, Young may still have a tough time getting a deal done. There’s the contract itself, of course, but there’s also the uncertainty around a possible work stoppage in December as MLB and the Players Association work toward a new collective bargaining agreement.
MLB owners appear intent on imposing a salary cap, and that kind of uncertainty could make teams hesitant to take on Seager’s deal. Realistically, only a few clubs would have the financial flexibility to absorb it.
Then there’s the injury record. Over the last four seasons, Seager has not played more than 123 games in a year, and he’s landed on the injured list every season. He’s also coming off what the source described as a career worst season, one in which he hit the injured list three separate times.
Still, the upside is obvious if he returns to his usual production. Over a 162-game average, Seager has posted a .284/.358/.503 slash line with 32 home runs and 94 RBI. If he gives a team that version of himself, the money starts to look a lot more reasonable.
For the Rangers, though, the return has to be right. The source indicates they’d likely want three players back, including one who could be ready to play in the Majors in 2027.
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